Oil change, drain plug question

[WAckerman]

I've got everything I need to do my first oil change on my truck, but when I got under it to drain the oil, i couldn't for the life of me get the plug loose. So I'm wondering if there are any tricks that I need to know, like if the plug reverse threaded!?



How do you all do it? I tried with a 3/8 ratchet... no go. I've got a 1/2" breaker bar that I can adapt down to 3/8 but I thought I'd ask the masters first. Thanks guys... sorry its such a novice question.

 

[JHardwick]

Yup, grab the breaker!

 

[DeezelDood]

Isn't that plug a 3/8" drive square? No matter to me anymore, I installed a Fumoto valve. Drain oil directly to bottles. Clean, quick, and neat.

 

[BHolm]

Use the bar if you have to, just remember to go "lefty loosey"

 

[GColeman]

They just come super tight from the factory. Grab a bigger bar and it will break loose.

 

[MMeier]

A 2005 truck and your just now doing your first oil change??

 

[BHolm]

A 2005 truck and your just now doing your first oil change??

I wondered about that too, especially since my '06 is about to hit 85k miles Maybe it is "new" to him and the PO overtightened the plug.

 

[InfernoB]

If the plug is that tight, I would have a spare plug ready for reinstall before you start.

It is possible that if this isn't your engines first change the lubologist before, overtightened it.



My spec calls for 37 ft. lbs. torque.



Good luck.

 

[Grizzly]

Use the bar if you have to, just remember to go "lefty loosey"

Maybe he's doing a "lefty tighty".

 

[rbattelle]

My spec calls for 37 ft. lbs. torque.

I think that's too much. I torque to "snug". Never had one leak a drop.



Ryan

 

[InfernoB]

I think that's too much. I torque to "snug". Never had one leak a drop.



Ryan

I've never had an issue using engine specified torques either.

 

[Bekim]

A 2005 truck and your just now doing your first oil change??

That's exactly wwhat I was thinking!!?
Mike
###

 

[Grizzly]

Isn't that plug a 3/8" drive square? No matter to me anymore, I installed a Fumoto valve. Drain oil directly to bottles. Clean, quick, and neat.

Where do you get a Fumoto and what does it look like? Does it hang down where it can be hit by a rock or something?

 

[ANicklas]

Geno's has them. I don't run any sort of quick-drain plug (just their upgraded magnetic one), but it looks like the Fumoto plug hangs down way below the pan, compared to the EZ Change plugs.
Granted, the Fumoto is about half the cost, but I wouldn't want it hanging down like that, even if I didn't go off road.
Maybe someone who has one will offer some insight.

 

[sarj]

On a stock truck, if you took it off road on some serious stuff, you might worry about it hanging down. With my suspension and tires (315's), I don't give it a thought. Now if I took my truck where I took my jeep, I'd stick with the stock plug when I was on the trail, but if I did that, I don't think the truck would live to see another oil change. On my last jeep run, I broke a front axle and twisted and bent my front drive shaft on the rocks, but even on that trip, the trans pan never saw a scratch. If I had to take the truck deep into the bush for a retrieval, I'd switch back to the stock plug, but that's a dooms-day scenario.



I like the Fumoto I installed, and don't worry about the ground clearance. If I saw a better valve style plug, I'd even try that. I'd do it again, but like I say, I still keep the stock plug around. I worry about quality before I worry about price.

 

[JCasper]

I have the fumoto valve and have not had any problems.



It also makes analysis's simple.



Light off roading and I don't worry about it. If I did anything hard core I wouldn't run it.

 

[WAckerman]

I guess I should have been a little more specific in what "my first" oil change was! I meant that I was doing MY first change on the truck! I have been having the dealer do the changes, as they have been doing them for a fairly reasonable cost (about the same as I did it for), but after a disagreement with the way the dealer did some other work on the truck, I've decided to do as much work on the truck as I possibly can.



once I had the breaker bar, it was no problem! It kinda reminded me of something my granddad used to tell me; if it doesn't fit, grab a bigger hammer! :-laf



Thanks guys.

 

[Grizzly]

The dealer is still doing my oil changes under the 7 year free oil and filter changes program when I purchased my truck. I have four years to go and I sometimes feel like doing it myself because I had alway done my own. I have far more confidence in me then I do the grease monkeys at the dealer.

 

[AKaiser]

I have the fumoto valve and have not had any problems.



It also makes analysis's simple.

That's good, because I can't seem to get the skinny plastic tubing into the oilpan thru the dipstick tube. I even tried to make it pointed at the end so it would bypass any obstruction, and it just wouldn't go.

 

[PRattenbury]

I put one of those drain valves on my 94. I was doing a change (obviously) when I put it in. Then I put in my Royal Purple oil. Then I discovered the difference between the open position and closed when I saw all the Royal Purple on the shop floor.